Your Face Looks Great, but What About Your Neck?

People can be fixated on the signs of aging on their face. The reason is obvious — every morning your face is staring right back at you in the mirror, and it’s easy to see the wrinkles, sagging, and sun damage. From facelifts and brow lifts to myriad skin tightening procedures, the face gets plenty of attention.

But when you put on that sleeveless top, it can seem as if you forgot something, your neck. Sagging and banding on your neck can be every bit as striking as on your face, but it often is a forgotten target of attention.

Dr. Kearney can fix that with a neck lift.

Why does the neck sag?

The neck is unique in that it doesn’t have large muscles like the legs or underlying bone structure like the arms. Plus, it is at the mercy of gravity every waking minute. This makes the neck one of the first areas on the body to show signs of aging. As our muscles and tissues loosen with age, the neck is where the first signs often show up. It starts under the chin with excess skin and sagging skin in the lower face, basically your average double chin. On the neck itself, the skin sags, and it has an attribute that doesn’t happen elsewhere, muscle banding. This forms deep creases on the neck.

Who should have a neck lift?

A person who would be right for a neck lift is someone who doesn’t need a full facelift. Most of the signs of aging are showing on the lower part of the face and down into the neck. If the problem is mainly fat accumulation under the chin (double chin), then the new injectable Kybella could be a good option. It dissolves fat when injected under the chin.

However, if the problem is loose skin and muscle banding, a neck lift is the only option to tighten things up.

How does Dr. Kearney perform a neck lift?

If the sagging is more manageable, Dr. Kearney may make an incision under the chin only. He can remove excess fat and tighten the muscles. But in most older patients, the incision is made behind the bottom portion of the ear and extends back to the hairline. This allows Dr. Kearney access to all of the muscles and tissue involved in the full length of the neck. He pulls up the skin and underlying tissue, removes the excess, and then reattached it. To correct muscle banding, muscles may be repositioned.

When it comes to signs of aging, don’t forget your neck. Call Dr. Kearney at 858-677-9352 and set up a consultation for a neck lift.